Chapter 214: Never Stepping Outside
Many common folk grew up eating their food.
He even had the reputation of ‘flowing water for the wellhead, iron for Jiang Yutang’.
He had seen off countless wellheads.
According to Zhao Guangxi, since the beginning of winter.
Many people have inexplicably disappeared or been inexplicably attacked.
This even included the heads of many martial arts halls and schools in the county, as well as True Intent masters, who vanished into thin air, disappearing overnight.
Not even their bodies were found.
Besides, Chen Shun’an’s heart stirred.
Zhao Guangxi seemed unsurprised that he had obtained the Purple Iron Cattail Milk so quickly and was about to go into seclusion for a breakthrough.
He didn’t even bother to feign surprise.
Wait, could it be that Zhao Guangxi was operating behind the scenes, always taking care of me?
The relationship between Zhao Guangxi and Lu Jing was probably not as antagonistic as it appeared on the surface.
Were they acting?
As for the reason.
It was also very simple.
It was nothing more than lowering the vigilance of the other forces in Wuqing County, and besides…
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Planning separately for the quotas for the Year-end Grand Celebration!
Zhao Guangxi was vying for Ao Shan Daoist Academy, while Lu Jing was probably vying for the other three great academies.
Good heavens, these two brothers are pretending to be fools but are actually playing everyone for fools?
“What did the government offices say?” Chen Shun’an asked.
“What else could they say? The county magistrate, County Magistrate Wang, and the Clerk, these officials of the court, feast on the granary and pilfer the treasury when there’s nothing to do, and can’t be seen when there’s trouble… it’s just the runners and bailiffs below who are busy, and when you ask, they say things are progressing in an orderly fashion.”
Zhao Guangxi rubbed his forehead, his face full of distress, saying.
“They said that the matter at our Water Station was too trivial, and they were busy dealing with other murder cases.”
Chen Shun’an blinked, then his face showed a look of hatred, saying.
“How dare that wicked thief! He seriously injured Landlord Jiang, almost to the point of death! Even the tax silver and treasury silver, totaling ten thousand taels of silver and a thousand taels of gold, that his household was about to submit, have vanished without a trace. This is simply too much!”
“…”
Zhao Guangxi was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, “It is as you say. I will now make it so that Landlord Jiang is seriously injured and unable to see guests.”
Chen Shun’an and Zhao Guangxi exchanged a smile.
Chen Shun’an hurriedly bid farewell and left.
The two had a tacit understanding and did not discuss in detail why Chen Shun’an had sent his family to temporarily reside at Zhao Mansion, as if avoiding something.
And given Chen Shun’an’s current status and Zhao Guangxi’s influence, the only ones they needed to retreat from were…
“Master, your subordinate Shopkeeper Chen is not simple.”
The door creaked open slightly, and a voluptuous figure with a shapely silhouette walked in.
Madam Zhao placed a cup of ginger tea in front of Zhao Guangxi, then walked behind him and began to massage his shoulders.
“I’m afraid…”
“It’s fine!”
Zhao Guangxi interrupted her, a flicker of thought in his eyes.
He first carefully calculated his status, strength, and background, and then considered the worst-case scenario.
Then, with a slightly difficult tone, he said.
“Even if something happens, I, Zhao Guangxi, will grit my teeth and bear it!”
…
Stepping out of Zhao Mansion, a biting wind carrying snowflakes hit Chen Shun’an’s face.
He looked back and saw the sky filled with swirling snow and silver dust covering the ground.
The entire Zhao Mansion was enveloped in a hazy white.
“The white tiger with staring eyes, the Xie family…”
A flicker of solemnity crossed Chen Shun’an’s eyes.
Just now in the Warm Pavilion.
Chen Shun’an had seen that Madam Zhao had a tiger’s tail.
Striped and interspersed, it rose and fell lazily.
It was then tucked under her buttocks by Madam Zhao.
Chen Shun’an looked up at the sky, pondered for a moment, recalling the solar terms of the season, and mused softly.
“Heavy snow in the eleventh month; the first half-month: the francolin does not sing; the second half-month: tigers begin to mate. Tigers are naturally yin creatures, and they mate upon sensing the first yin energy. Calculating the time, it is indeed the second half-month.”
So, some monsters that had been well hidden could no longer hide?
He just didn’t know what kind of cultivation method Madam Zhao had practiced that mimicked the posture of a mountain lord.
Or if she was actually a tigress herself.
At present, the latter seemed more likely.
…
“This is the Purple Iron Cattail Milk? And… Wan Gong Iron Essence?”
In a quiet room at the Liangjiang Military Academy.
Chen Shun’an sat cross-legged on a cushion.
In front of him, two items were placed side by side. Not far away, there was a desk and bookshelves, packed with numerous books explaining martial arts, annotations by predecessors, and even some travelogues and appreciation essays.
Purple Iron Cattail Milk, which was rooted in iron ore and watered by stalactites, gave Chen Shun’an a sense of petrification. The entire cattail plant was frozen in the milky stone, as thin as a cicada’s wing.
The leaves were sword-shaped, unfurled, and seemed ordinary, yet emitted a strange fragrance, giving one the illusion of ascending to immortality upon inhaling it.
This item was not abundant, exactly two liang.
The Wan Gong Iron Essence was pitted all over, with only a cold light emanating from its center. Looking at it caused one’s eyes to sting, and even Chen Shun’an found it difficult to gaze at it for long.
If one’s intent swept over it, it felt like a towering, strange peak suddenly rising in a vast, boundless wilderness, tearing through the clouds and reaching high into the dense mist, exuding extreme sharpness and malevolent energy.
It was precisely because this quiet room was made of copper walls and iron ramparts, and was located deep underground, that if this Wan Gong Iron Essence were exposed to the outside world, any martial artist of the second-rate realm or below would die of fright just by looking at it!
“The Wan Gong Iron Essence, refined by the residual intent of Grandmaster Tie Yu, meaning it retains his martial path, his will?”
It was hard to imagine that even after more than two hundred years, this piece of iron essence, refined by the residual intent of Grandmaster Tie Yu, possessed such oppressive power.
It was likely a heavenly treasure.
It was only slightly inferior to the Great Demon Red Scale that Chen Shun’an had obtained a few days prior.
This item was obtained unexpectedly; no one had instructed him about it when he arrived.
After being told by the old man guarding the treasury, Chen Shun’an also realized the importance of this item.
“Not only can I witness the demeanor of a Grandmaster with this, but I can also familiarize myself with the aura of that iron vein in advance, preparing for future treasure hunting in the mine?”
Chen Shun’an’s face showed emotion.
Landlord Zhao truly poured his heart and soul into me.
He probably felt indebted for making Chen Shun’an not compete with him for this year’s Grand Celebration quota, so he wanted to compensate him as much as possible.
Moreover, even when Chen Shun’an claimed he wanted to use the Purple Iron Cattail Milk to break through to the True Intent realm, Zhao Guangxi’s expression did not change. Not only did he not stop him, but he also went with the flow and gave Chen Shun’an a push.
This was trust in Chen Shun’an.
Even if Old Chen broke through to the True Intent realm before the end of the year, he would keep his promise and not go back on his word to compete with him for this quota.
Fortunately, Chen Shun’an was a righteous person who always kept his word.
He had never intended to compete with Zhao Guangxi.
“There are only a little over two months until the end of the year. I believe it will be enough for me to achieve the Three Refinements Combined and ascend to the Grandmaster Realm?”
Chen Shun’an had absolute confidence in his talent and diligence.
After all, three months ago, he was just a penniless water carrier!
He put the Wan Gong Iron Essence into a specially made jade box and sealed it.
Chen Shun’an then turned his gaze to the Purple Iron Cattail Milk.
He did not rashly swallow the two liang of Purple Iron Cattail Milk directly, as if it were a Ginseng Fruit, wasting a treasure.
And slaying the Mind Thief was not something that could be achieved by simply swallowing external objects.
This thief was the most deeply entrenched desire among the Six Thieves.
Furthermore, unlike when slaying the five thieves of body, ears, eyes, tongue, and nose, where illusions would arise in the mind and were somewhat fixed and directed.
When slaying the Mind Thief, it would conjure illusions that were almost real, tailored to different people’s desires, preferences, and even the darkest, most overlooked thoughts in their hearts.
If you are lustful, there will be millions of heavenly maidens, each with a different posture, charming, dignified, youthful, coy, or mature… there is no defense against it.
However, the world loves immortal caves, unaware that they are coffin cracks. One slip, no matter how it happens, will ruin one’s cultivation and cause one to fail the breakthrough.
If you are greedy for wealth, there will be endless opportunities and unexpected fortunes befalling you. Once you lose control, even taking a needle or a thread will be considered a failure.
Even if you are a divinely enlightened person, free of attachments and desires, the terror of life and death will await you.
What, you’ve even seen through life and death?
Then why train martial arts, why cultivate immortality!
“If the Dantian holds treasure, do not seek the Way; if the heart is indifferent to the circumstances, do not ask about Zen.”
If one is indifferent to life and death, one is no different from a stubborn rock or a blade of grass. When the sword falls upon one’s head, and one’s resources are taken by others, one should simply offer one’s neck to be slaughtered.
It is said that when Lu Jing obtained the cattail milk, he wasted one liang. After swallowing it, although his heart churned and his thoughts surged, there was no sign of slaying the Mind Thief.
It was only on a snowy day, while eating silver fish and purple crabs alone, that he suddenly had an epiphany. He seemed to have seen the magnificent scene of ‘tides surging, silver mountains, fish entering their holes; waves rolling, snow-white waves, mythical creatures emerging from the abyss.’
He then immediately took the cattail milk, and it was a natural progression to slay the Mind Thief.
So…
*Crack!*
Chen Shun’an broke off a corner of the cattail milk. It was only mud and stalactites, not the main body of the cattail milk.
He put it into his mouth and chewed slowly, adapting and familiarizing himself in advance with the cattail milk’s effect of attracting the Mind Thief.
The taste was astringent and sour.
It was no different from eating dirt.
But merely eating dirt.
Before becoming stronger, it was not worth mentioning.
Distracting thoughts surged in his mind.
Chen Shun’an, however, held a copy of 《 *Jian Deng Xin Hua* 》 and began to read it with great relish.
Chen Shun’an did not have many hobbies; among wine, lust, wealth, and anger, he only touched upon the first three.
And reading storybooks and listening to storytelling was one of them.
Lu Jing could have an epiphany while eating hot pot, and he, Chen Shun’an, was a noble scholar who had read the words of the sages of old, so naturally, he could too!
Therefore, Chen Shun’an made up his mind to diligently cultivate himself and remain in the Martial Arts Hall until he succeeded in breaking through and slaying the Six Thieves.
He would absolutely not leave!
…
“To actually send his family to Zhao Guangxi’s residence… Chengping Guan Well Sword?”
Outside Zhao Mansion, a figure quietly appeared. She opened her phoenix eyes, and a sword qi clearly visible rushed towards the sky, like a coiling dragon, unreservedly revealing its qi.
Tian Xuan Saint looked apprehensive and then retreated.
However, Tian Xuan Saint breathed a sigh of relief and a cold smile appeared on her lips.
It seemed that the person she had been desperately searching for was most likely Chen Shun’an.
Otherwise, he would not be acting so guilty.
He had stolen the Azure Gang Yang Huo, destroyed countless Hibiscus Paste Fires, and repeatedly colluded with the Guo Lu Society, ruining Tian Xuan Saint’s plans many times.
Not to mention that Hong Lao Wu had lingered for several months for this person, forcing her to live on dew and eat in Yanwu Mountain for many days!
The thought that the instigator might actually be Chen Shun’an made Tian Xuan Saint’s three spirits leap and her five thunders roar, her teeth grinding so hard she could almost shatter them.
She wished she could cut Chen Shun’an into a thousand pieces, mutilate him into a human swine, use him as medicine dregs, and torment him severely for a hundred years before finally resting.
